Extension filing-case or the like.



PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904.

E. J. NOBLETT.

EXTENSION FILING CASE OR THE LIKE;

APPLIOATION FILED OUT- 12, 1903.

no MODEL.

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' A UNITED STATES Patented October 4, 1904.

PATENT I OFFICE.

i EXTENSION FILING-CASE-OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,319, dated October 4, 1904.

Application filed October 12, 1903. Serial No. 176,714. No model.)

To all whom it may concernh Be it known that I, EDWARD J. N OBLETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ExtensionFiling- Cases or the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates more particularly to an extension device for filing-drawers, such as individual letter-files or the like. Heretofore in devices of thekind slide extensions have sometimes been employed; but the same have usually taken up considerable space at the sides of the drawer, necessitating the cabinet to be of awidth sufiicient for the drawer and also for the extension-slides at the sides thereof. Frequently after a longeror shorter period of use the extension-slides tend to bind in the cases, preventing the free opening and closing of the drawer. V

The object of my invention is to provide a durable and strong construction in as small space laterally as possible and so constructed as to work at all times with the greatest freedom, affording a positive support for the filing drawer or case when the same is fully open.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of four sections of a filing-case such as an individual letter-file. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2 2 of Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the filingdrawer open. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the guide-roller and guide strip or way shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is an inner face view of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the front supporting-roller. Fig. 7 is an inner face view of the same.

As shown in said drawings, one or more filing-drawers A such as are used for individual letter-files, card-indexes, or other extension drawer device and of the usual or any desired type are slidably supported each in a suitable compartment of a cabinet, the compartments beingseparated from each other laterally by vertical partitions Bin the usual manner. Secured on each partition are the horizontal cleats b, positioned in close proximity. with the top of the drawer side a and serving as a permanent guide therefor. Below the cleats?) and parallel therewith and affording a support for the drawer arethe thin cleats or ways 6, as shown in Fig. 1. Slidably supported on said cleats or ways 6 and fitting closely in each compartment is a rectangular extensionframe, which in length corresponds with the depth of the case and is composed of strong side members C and front and rear end members 0 0 respectively. The drawer rests on said extension-frame,wliich forms 'a support therefor when the drawer is fully open. Secured on each sideand at the inner end of said'frame, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are the depending brackets D, each provided on its lower end and inner face with a roller 0?, which tracks on the under sides of the cleats or ways 6. At the front end of each cleat or way .7) is provided a roller D, which projects slightly above the top of said way and on which the front end of said extension-frame is supported, so that when said extension-frame is drawn outwardly the roller D supports the outer end of the extension-frame, while the roller d engaging beneath the ways prevents the rear end of said frame from rising. The drawer A rests upon said frame, and on the under side of the drawer-bottom are secured stops or bumpers E, which serve to force the frame inwardly as the drawer is closed and to draw the same outwardly after the drawer is partly opened into position to supportthe drawer when fully opened. Said bumpers may assume many different forms and may be made in one piece, or stops of any preferred form'may be secured on the drawer-bottom, near the rear end of the same and near the middle of the drawer, respectively, for the purposes stated. As shown, however, a cleat E, having a length approximately half the length of the drawer, is secured on the drawer-bottom adjacent to the inner side of each side member (1 of the.

extension-frame with its rear end in position to engage the rear end of the extensionframe and to force the same inwardly when the drawer is closed and with its front end positioned somewhat in advance of the center of the drawer and acting when the drawer is a little less than half open to engage the front end frame member 0 and to draw the frame outwardly with the drawer, as shown in Fig. 3. As shown, pads of rubber or other resilient material 0 are secured on the rear end of the extension-frame to stop the same against the rear wall of the cabinet, and similar pads e are provided on each end of the bumpercleat E to engage the end frame members of the extension-frame when the drawer is actuated. The drawer, as shown, may be of any desired construction. Conveniently,however, the front of the drawer projects above and below the side and bottom members sufficiently to form a joint with the eom'plemental edges of the drawer above and below, while the widths of the drawer-fronts are suflicient to meet on and cover the partition between the adjacent drawers, as shown in Fig. 1. The operation is as follows:

For convenience in assembling the cleat 5 is made shorter than the depth of the cabinet, leaving a space, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, between the back of the cabinet and the rear end of the cleat or way, thus permitting the frame to be inserted in the case or compartment and permitting the bracket or roller to pass below said cleat when the frame is fully inserted. The frameis then drawn forwardly sufficient topermit the drawer to be placed thereon, whereupon the drawer and frame may be pushed into the case. When the drawer is pushed into the case, the rear end of the bumper E is engaged against the inner end of the rear end member 0 of the extension-frame and pushes the same inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. In opening the drawer the same can be drawn nearly half open independently of the extension-frame and before the front end of the bumper engages the front end of said frame, as shown in Fig. 3, drawing the same along the cleats or ways Z) and affording a positive support therefor until the drawer is fully opened. By the construction described the drawer is securely and positively supported, and inasmuch as the frame may be made of any desired strength a very rigid construction is secured. Obviously the cleats or ways may be made of any preferred material and may be made comparatively thin, (in actual practice three-eighths of an inch proving sufficient) thus taking up practically no space of the filing-case required in the drawer, and inasmuch as the entire supporting device is below the drawer instead of at the sides thereof the entire width of the compartment is utilized.

Obviously manydetails of construction may be varied without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a drawer, of ways secured beneath the same, a sliding extensionframe thereon having a length approximately equal to the depth of the drawer, a bracket at the rear end of the frame, an antifrictionroller thereon adapted to engage beneath one of said ways when the frame is drawn outwardly and a bumper on the bottom of the drawer acting when the drawer is partly open to engage the frame and draw the same outwardly with the drawer.

2. The combination with a filing-drawer, of an extension-frame secured beneath and supporting the same, ways on which said frame slides, rollers carried at the rear end of the frame and adapted to engage beneath the ways and acting to support the frame and drawer when in an open position, and guides above said drawer.

3. The combination in a filing-case of lateral ways on the side walls thereof, a frame slidably engaged thereon, a plurality of rollers on said frame adapted to engage said ways, a drawer carried on said frame and adapted for movement independently thereof and a bumper on the drawer acting to engage the end ofsaid frame during a part of the movement of said drawer.

4. The combination in a filing-case com prising one or more compartments, of laterallydisposed thin ways in each, an upwardly-projecting roller at the outer end of each way, a frame fitting closely in the compartment and supported on said ways, rollers carried at the rear end of the frame and engaging beneath the ways, a filing-drawer supported on and independently of as well as with the frame and means on the drawer for actuating the frame.

5. The combination with a filing-cabinet of a plurality of ways secured on the walls, extending to the rear end thereof, rollers on the front ends of the same, an extension-frame supported on said ways, rollers supported from the .rear end of the extension-frame and engaging below the ways, a drawer supported on and movable independently of and with the extension-frame, and means on the drawer for actuating the frame with the drawer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. NOBLETT.

WVitnesses:

W. W. WITHENBURY, ALFRED O. ODELL. 

